The program was influential in the banning of urea formaldehyde foam insulation and lawn darts in Canada, the legislation of warnings on exploding pop bottles, successful prosecution of retailers for false advertising, new standards for bottled water and drinking fountains, new regulations to make children's sleepwear less flammable, and the implementation of safer designs for children's cribs.

In recent years, the program's reporting has exposed the illegal dumping and burning of Canadian plastic recycling in Malaysia, the sale of fake university degrees to Canadian professors and social workers, and its hidden camera investigations documented hygiene issues in hospitals, misleading sales practices, and violence and neglect in long-term care homes.

When the program's original lab testing found dangerous levels of cadmium in jewelry sold by Ardene and Aldo, journalists travelled to China to expose how these chemicals end up on Canadian store shelves.

The reporting triggered “Project Octavia”, a criminal investigation by the country's top police force (RCMP).

[2] Early seasons of the program had a theme song, "The Consumer", which was written and performed by Stompin' Tom Connors.